Chapter 1103

The Xyz vortex opens, and the power of chaos erupts from within. A pitch-black body slowly descends, hanging upside down from the rift. Its entire body is covered in matte metal armor, and exposed gear sets at the joints continuously ooze dark red machine oil. The blood-colored patterns winding across the armor of its right leg squirm like living things, and a single steel wing unfurls behind it with a boom, its three-meter-long wing blade splitting into five claw-like structures at the tip.

CNo. 40, Gimmick Puppet of Strings, Summon!

【CNo. 40 Gimmick Puppet of Strings, ATK 3300】

Gimmick Puppet of Strings, the chaos-evolved version of Heaven's Strings after Rank-Up, has also had its power upgraded. By detaching one Xyz Material, the chaos-evolved Gimmick Puppet of Strings can destroy all monsters on the opponent's field that have String Counters placed on them, destroy those monsters, and inflict damage to the opponent equal to the sum of their ATK.

So this standard combo is: first Xyz Summon Heaven's Strings to place String Counters on the opponent's monsters, then Rank-Up into Gimmick Puppet of Strings, and then destroy all the monsters that just had counters placed on them and inflict damage.

However, it is quite obvious that this effect still overlaps with the previous "Gimmick Puppet Serial Killer," and it is not as powerful as Serial Killer. Gimmick Puppet of Strings can only destroy monsters on the field with String Counters placed on them, while Gimmick Puppet Serial Killer only needs to detach one material to clear the entire field.

This is probably why IV chose to summon Serial Killer first, and only after being defeated did he reveal this Gimmick Puppet of Strings. This chaos monster is almost a lower-tier substitute for the previous Serial Killer; its only advantage is higher ATK.

"CNo. 40 Gimmick Puppet of Strings, direct attack!"

At this moment, the only line of defense on Edo's field, Destiny HERO - Dystopia, had already been banished, and there were no other defenses left on the field. The Gimmick Puppet flew out without any obstruction, its blood-colored blade tearing through space as it slashed down toward Edo's head.

Edo raised his Duel Disk to block, and the blood-colored blade struck the Duel Disk, exploding into a string of indigo sparks. A sizzling electric current burst out, and Edo staggered back two steps.

【Edo, LP 4700 → LP 1400】

Edo clutched his chest and knelt on one knee, looking up at the giant monster with some difficulty.

"The pain just now... is this the power of the monster named 'CNo.'?"

"How about that!" IV laughed loudly. "Is my fan service particularly enjoyable?"

Seeing the expression on the opponent's face become exaggerated again, with the corners of his mouth stretching to a degree that a human shouldn't be able to reach, Edo patted the dust off his body, stood up, and said, "What a lunatic. Are all people from another dimension like this?"

He regained his steady footing.

"My turn, draw!"

Edo glanced at the card he drew and then immediately waved his hand.

"Activate the effect of 'Destiny HERO - Malicious' from the Graveyard!"

When this card exists in the Graveyard, by banishing this card from the Graveyard, you can Special Summon a card with the same name from the Deck.

I banish 'Destiny HERO - Malicious' from the Graveyard to Special Summon the second Malicious from the Deck!"

A golden light flew out from Edo's Deck, landed in the center of the field, and crouched down with its hands crossed.

【Destiny HERO - Malicious, DEF 800】

"Next, I activate the Spell Card 'Fusion Recovery' from my hand!" Edo said. "Return one 'Fusion' Spell Card and one monster used as a Fusion Material sent to the Graveyard to my hand."

IV: "Fusion Material monsters, huh? In your Graveyard, the Fusion Materials are 'Destiny HERO - Dogma' and Plasma."

"Not bad. I return 'Destiny HERO - Dogma' from the Graveyard to my hand!"

Edo retrieved the card to his hand, then stared at the Fusion in his hand, brewing for a few seconds. When he looked up, his gaze had become exceptionally firm.

He had originally thought that he would never see his father again in this life, but thanks to that King of Games, thanks to the help he provided, miraculously, the father he lost in his childhood had returned.

With the help of the Knights of Hanoi's mastery of dark power and Kaiba Corporation's cutting-edge technology, they successfully separated Edo's father's consciousness from the Plasma card. Although his father had lost his physical body, he was now able to exist in an electronic container created by Kaiba Corporation and had resumed his former work as a card designer.

After that, Edo felt that the time that had stalled in his life had started moving again.

And after his father returned to help him complete the design, the "Destiny HERO" series gave birth to this new trump card.

So it can be said that this Destiny HERO is a symbol of his and his father's lives returning to their normal tracks with the help of the King of Games, the Knights of Hanoi, and Kaiba Corporation.

It is also a symbol of him moving toward the future as a duelist.

"Activate the Spell Card 'Fusion'!" Edo held the Fusion in his hand high. "Fusion Summon using 'Destiny HERO - Dogma' and 'Destiny HERO - Defender' from my hand!"

"The Fusion conditions are two Destiny HEROes! Fusion Summon! Break the rock of destiny, descend upon the dark future, and bring light—"

"—Destiny HERO - Dystopia!!!"

Silver light like data streams pulsed on the surface of the streamlined azure chest armor, and a string of metallic dust rose when the shoulder armor popped out. When he fully stepped out of the dimensional channel, the "D"-shaped goggles in the center of his face mask suddenly lit up with diamond-dust-like light, and blue light wings made of energy extended from both sides of his helmet.

As the cape behind him dissipated into light particles, a ring-shaped shockwave erupted from Dystopia's body, and he punched out a transparent cyclone from the air.

【Destiny HERO - Dystopia, ATK 2800】

IV frowned: "This guy, another new Destiny HERO..."

Edo looked at the Dystopia summoned to the field, and the scene of his father handing this card to him couldn't help but surface in his mind.

"Your future has infinite possibilities. Don't stop for me, Edo."

Through Kaiba Corporation's electronic screen, his father said to him earnestly from the other end of the picture.

"Move forward, Edo, together with your beloved Destiny HEROes."

The masterpiece his father poured his life's work into, the Destiny HERO designed especially for his son, was by no means a shackle to bind Edo's destiny.

Yes, no father would want to see his son stand still and suffer forever for his own tragedy. When he designed the Destiny HEROes, what he hoped for was to give his son the power to break through any predicament and even shatter the shackles of destiny.

And Edo now understood this point.

So even if it was to help him and his father reunite, for those who gave their father and son a second chance at life, he had to win and take down this otherworldly duelist and the No. card he held.

A firm light flashed in Edo's eyes.

I will definitely win!